Dawning Midnight
by Magical Mistress Sarai
Summary: AU - Bear witness to the greatest darkness in galactic history. The history of a woman who caused the galaxy to bleed, this is a series of events so fear inspiring that they became the greatest cover-up in the history of the Republic. rated for violence
1. Introduction

**!SKIP THIS IF YOU DO NO LIKE AUTHOR NOTES--IF YOU WANT TO READ THE STORY GO TO THE NEXT SECTION!**

Darth Virtra: Dawning Midnight

Alright… this begins my history based upon the character Darth Virtra. I couldn't sleep, and I love this character so much… I wanted to get down a piece of her history. I don't know how much of this is cannon for the character (cause I use Virtra in many different settings), but with her unnaturally long life… Virtra Thrad could have done all of this and more. So take this as a bit of history if you will.

**Always check here if you like Author's Notes.** I do most of my updating here (I may add stuff on the chapters, but I'll keep you updated here for the most part)

Disclaimer: Of course the character of Virtra and all rights according to her evilness and what not belongs to me. Star Wars belongs to George Lucas and his copyrights along with the Sith, the Force, and everything therein.

The title of this mini-series? **Darth Virtra: Dawning Midnight **(title might change but I like it)

The story is currently a trilogy of ideas*****; thus there are three parts as of right now. Each part is broken down in to three chapters and I think that will give me enough time and space to do everything. Don't expect this to be finished quickly… in fact this is like a side note, a not for profit undergoing, something to throw up there for people to read when I need to place an update but I'm not finished with chapters for my other two stories. I'll do this when I'm not at work, working on SoA, working on the Story of Sarai, or planning for something else.

_*****I have decided that Part 3 of dominance is** TOO long** for the majority of people who browse stories here... so I will be updating it as Dominance Part 3.a and Part 3.b (hopefully people won't go OMG this one chapter is 13,000 words)_

The three parts are going to be named thus with chapters underlying:

Dominance  
---When We Were Others  
---Darkness Rising  
---Unthinkable Sorrows **(will be split into two sections a. and b.)**

Reconciliation  
---Lighting the Candle  
---Sun Sets  
---Darkness Confined

Annihilation  
---You Cannot Cage the Beast  
---Regrettable Truth  
---Vanishing

If people are wondering what time this story takes place: c. 16,000 years before the battle of Yavin. I know what many many people are already thinking: THE SITH WEREN'T AROUND AT THIS TIME! HECK THE GREAT SCHISM OF THE JEDI HAS YET TO HAPPEN!! I know… trust me I know. Why don't you read and find out why I have Sith here. It's my own personal conspiracy theory. Take it as what it is worth: fandom. ^_^

I'd also like to introduce that cast at this time:

**Sith:**  
Darth Virtra - main character, Sith master (lordess of blood)  
Darth Selera - Virtra's apprentice (lord or sorrows)  
Ka'leba - Virtra's hand, Dashade warrior

**Jedi:**  
Luc Tyrman - senior council member, human  
Lilah Demar - consular, seer, human  
Dorian Quei - warrior, Kel Dor  
Tolar - consular, seer (species is same as Yoda)  
Yorrvaca - sentinel, Wookie  
Anilila Trua - blade master, human  
Pui-tru Non - consular, seer, Mon Calamari

Kal Vorc - Luc's apprentice  
Delilah Hesk - Tolar's apprentice and Kal's love interest

Now I've only thought about this for a little bit and I don't have much other than this in the way of characters, (cause people tend to DIE in this story) and I prefer to do my development IN STORY, so look for more to come in adding characters and what not when I start writing. Looking good? Yes? No? Oh well… I guess we'll all see won't we? Hope this interests some people.

Looking forward to writing,  
Sarai

*Note* - all characters are mine and I will beat anyone who steals their names with brutal fury and tons of enjoyment. I put a great deal of effort into coming up with my names…


	2. Dominance Part 1

**When We Were Others**

Korriban.

A lush, green jewel hanging in the vast reaches of the forgotten parts of a galaxy ripped by unending conflict, the planet is warm, humid… filled with life. It is a thriving planet that teems with the natural order of things… from the view of space it is a perfect paradise; however, it is a harsh planet ruled by ancient laws and filled with archaic customs.

Korriban is home to the Sith Empire, the cause of the planet's dark heritage. The Sith have existed on their planet for thousands of years, and their traditions have evolved with time—becoming more and more patriarchal. The male dominated society has brushed women aside—till now: women are merely cattle for breeding, honored to give birth to the strongest warriors. It is a short lived honor. A woman who gives birth to a male may live to give birth again… if she gives birth to a daughter then she is put to death; the daughter to take her mother's place in the future.

If the woman was blessed with the gifts, those special magics of the Sith Lords, she would be allowed to breed into royalty, but there was no second child, no matter the circumstance. No woman was allowed to develop her powers. No, the lords were too jealous, too protective of the strengths they had garnered. The Brotherhood of ancient lineage was filled with embittered and power craving mongrels, all ready to backstab and undercut one another if it meant becoming more prominent or more powerful.

Those lucky women not born with the access to magic were turned into nurses. Their gift was a doubled-edged sword—they were able to live their entire lives. They were never used for breeding, never killed, but they were forced to survive in a society that only needed them to take care of the young. More than once a nurse would become attached to a child only to see the boy taken away and warped, or the girl turned into a tawdry whore and murdered.

Yes… the Sith Empire had become sick and twisted.

*****

The cold… it bit her skin like a serpents fangs. The dank musty smell of wet stone and mildew crept into her nose, stirring around her olfactory senses like a putrid bug. She crawled further into the corner that refused to give any farther, trying to escape the single square of light that entered her existence from the hole carved through the door. That hole was her destiny… if it remained lit then she was alive. If it ever darkened… then they had come for her, and her life was over. Apparently she was gifted, a prime specimen who was strong and worthy to be used.

The woman spat the phrase through her mind, _"To be used and murdered by those swine!"_

They had done it to her mother apparently; that is what Mehlah had told her. The woman's nurse and her mother had apparently been good friends. Mehlah was lucky; she was one of the uncursed: the women without magics. The woman's mother was not so fortunate and had died because of it. Now she was soon to share her mother's fate… impregnated and then done away with. Her existence would be meaningless.

It mattered not that the darkness spoke to her, that it covered her and tried to shield her from the brunt of her mental torment. Nothing could stop the Sith monsters who ran the planet, and she was to be saved as a special treat for their leader. Perhaps she could bite off his tongue before he had his way. It was hopeless… no one had ever fought for long, and they hadn't died any easier. Fate was sealed and that was it.

She could feel the rough grooves between each stone in the walls, running her fingers through them as she had so often before. At one time she had searched for a weakness in these walls… now she did it merely for the solace of something familiar. Life for her had been very simple: the nursery, the training hall—this cage. She was an animal and they were her masters.

_"Pigs! Filth!"_ dark rage screamed in her mind, her thoughts dripping with hatred. _"They fear us because anyone like them might take their power! They weaken us all. Soon we will be nothing!"_

It was true… the planet was over taking everything while the Lords squabbled amongst themselves. The population of Korriban had been waning, growing smaller; all the while their leaders went about gaining things for themselves. As power changed, so did the harshness of existing on this pathetic planet. Soon they would be destroyed by their own ignorance, and she would laugh at them from hell… that's where they were all headed. They for their evil, and her for the thoughts and horrors she wished upon them.

The horrors she thought… they were vivid, but she couldn't create them. The Lords however, with their powerful magics—they could create untold atrocities upon those who defied them. Once the people had tried to rebel, the seven Lords at that time had single-handedly slaughtered them all, killing their families as well for punishment. Now no one dared to defy the Sith… not unless they wish to die quickly. When that happens the death is normally slow and painful, sometimes the person isn't even killed. How desperately the woman longed to vanish into the darkness.

The corner had become worn and smooth with that amount of time she'd spent there, her white coarse tunic polishing the dark muck. No matter how much she wished it of the darkness for freedom; it never gave it to her. It denied her greatest wish of escape, but for some reason it never left her either. She supposed it was for the best. If the darkness left; then the isolation would finally kick in, and she would truly be alone. A strange commotion in the hallway caused the girls head to snap towards the door. No one ever came in here.

"Why have you decided to come now?" a female voice trembled… fearful.

"Because Lord Freth has gotten bored, cow!" a male voice spat viciously. "Now get the keys and get me what I want!"

"But these women are special! Breeders only!" the woman cried. There was a loud ringing slap that echoed down the hallway, the sound of someone falling and the clatter of tiny, metal objects on stone.

"Don't tell me something I already know!" the man shouted. The woman in the cell covered her ears. He was too loud, and her hearing was too sensitive. She'd spent weeks in the darkness, listening for anything and to everything she could strain for. "Get out of my way, and I'll do it myself!!"

There was a struggling noise, a hiss and the sudden smell of ozone; then the woman outside the cell was pleading, "No! please… I meant no disrespect… AH!!" the scream turned to a gargle just as the prisoner recognized the voice. It was Mehlah, her nurse from several years before. She had sounded hurt, in pain.

The woman jumped to her feet and was at the door, crying through the hole, "Mehlah! Mehlah!! Please… don't hurt her!!"

Suddenly a man's face filled the entire space that she could see out of. Startled and frightened, the woman stumbled backwards against the wall. There was a scraping sound of metal against metal as something was inserted into the door. Gears and bearings turned, the door opening with a squeal as unused and forgotten hinges protested their movement. Wood slammed against stone with an echoing thud, and a darkly clad figure in black, organic looking armor and a long flowing black cape stood framed in the door way.

The woman couldn't see his face, not with all that light pouring in. The sudden increase brightness into her cell forced the poor girl to divert her eyes, hiding her face in the crook of her arm. "Well… you're a fine specimen indeed. Lord Freth will be pleased." She was gripped roughly by the elbow and jerked from her place on the cold floor. The man dragged her from her cell, none too gently, into the hall where the light only intensified. She blinked rapidly, trying to adjust her eyesight to new surroundings when her gaze fell upon the crumpled and limp form of her motherly caretaker.

"Mehlah!!" the woman shrieked, ripping away from the man and scrambling over to the old woman. She was viciously yanked backwards by her hair, the dark man throwing her to the floor. She looked up at his scarred face with hatred in her eyes, "You killed her!! You killed her!!" He reached a black gloved hand down and picked her up by the neck, throwing her into a wall.

"Shut up you useless wench before I do the same to you," he pulled his arm backwards, ready to knock the girl down with a prepared fist. She threw both arms up to defend her face… screaming in fear.

Lighting, blue as cerulean water, suddenly jumped from her fingers and struck the man fully in the chest, knocking him off his feet. His eyes were widened in surprise as he hit the other wall with force enough to rattle the torches lighting the corridor. The woman held out her arms before her, even more shocked than the man she had attacked, afraid that her hands might her harm as well. Then the darkness returned, whispering to her… as if a mentor explaining what had just happened, sparking a sudden revelation within the woman: the darkness was doing what she asked…

The black armored man was storming towards her, a glowing red blade raised over his head… she had heard of these weapons from Mehlah. They were the sign of Sith strength. Kalneths they were called, the light blades stood as symbol of power over the light as well as the dark magic of the Sith Lords. He was one of them. Anger and bitterness surged through the woman and she lashed out with her new found power, blasting the man back into the wall with strength renewed. She grinned happily, pouring blue energy from her reservoirs of repressed emotions. Her dark midnight hair flowed around her with the static energy that surged the air, giving her the look of a maddened fury. This new found power gave her exhilaration, giving life to feelings she had never felt. No woman had ever turned the Sith Lord's own magics on them, and while she didn't understand it; the darkness told her she did not need to. All she needed was action, and understanding would come with time.

"Unh…" the sound was soft and it came from behind the woman. She stopped attacking the man—he had been dead long before, but she had continued despite that knowledge, hoping to pour all of her anger, rage, and hurt upon him; however, such a thing was impossible.

The woman then turned her gaze to the shivering form of the one person who had shown her love, rushing to the elderly matron's side. The former prisoner cradled the wizened old head in her lap, stroking the grey, thinning hair, "Don't worry… you'll be just fine. You'll see. I'll take care of you, just like you took care of me Mehlah. You're going to be ok…" Tears rolled down her face as she begged the darkness to do something, but just as she had suspected… not even the darkness had power over death.

The old woman's eyes were distant… elsewhere as she muttered increasingly weaker words, "I'm… sorry. I wish that were so… but… they've… killed me, Virtra…" The nurse's eyes glazed over as breath escaped her lips but didn't return; the frail body went limp in trembling arms.

Virtra knelt there horrified, unable to feel anything except rage. Her entire body shook as she clenched her fists at her side, vengeful words seething through clenched teeth, "Then… they will die…" She set the old woman's head down gently to the floor, walking over to the fried corpse of the murderer where she picked up the black handle of his sword. A single button was on the side and she pressed it, the blade coming to life in front of her eyes, casting a bloody sheen of light over her face, "They… will all die!"

*****

Lord Freth sat lounged upon the plush mattress in his quarters, awaiting that peon of a Sith Lord to bring him his entertainment. The dark chamber, while poorly lit, was lavish and filled with furnishings from the best craftsmen of the ages past. Korriban craftsmen were experts at rending art from the simplest forms of stone and wood… Freth liked to collect precious things. The title of Master for example: the only thing in this existence that seemed to elude him. But the tides of fate were changing for Freth… with a little push from his own hand.

At this very moment as Freth lay there drinking, Lord Malthazr was drinking from a poisoned cup. The cup was a gift from Lord Nethzir. Before Malthazr died he would call for Nethzir's death… which the other lords would be more than willing to oblige. Freth would never be accused because he and Nethzir were bitter enemies. Thanks to the cunningness of the plot, Freth would be able to appear tomorrow and witness the aftermath of the soon to be bloodbath. Tonight his attentions were upon pleasing himself, a congratulatory effort for time well spent.

There was a commotion, a far way off, but he could hear it… screams and cries of death. Soon he would get the acrid hint of ozone on the air, mingled with burnt flesh and blood. It would be a feast of high spirits for his senses, feeling the tumult through the dark waves of the magics. It was more intoxicating than the wine in his glass.

A soft creak caused the Sith Lord to jerk his head towards the door, hand instinctively reaching for the black stone handle that rested upon the bedside table. Freth stopped, however, as he saw the innocent beauty enter his chambers. Her skin was pale perfection, milky and smooth from days in the darkness, yet there was not the hint of a vein apparent on her flesh. Hair of ebony gracefully flowed down her back, and, unlike her garments, the hair was well kept. The girl took pride in appearance… how amusing. She was also gifted, which would make this all the more enjoyable. He would have her, and then, here in his bed he would kill her to consummate his rise to power!

She looked dazed and lost, disoriented… they all did when they were brought out of confinement. It only made her seem more like his prey, "Come here girl…"

Her head whipped around to look at him, fear and something else Freth couldn't place… there was something deep in those eyes—those deep, crimson, intoxicating eyes. The longer Freth looked into them, the more he wanted to keep this treasure as his own. He walked circles around her, admiring the perfection, "You know… if you make yourself useful tonight… I might change things with my rule that would be… to your benefit."

The woman looked at him with doubt, "What do you mean?"

"There could be a place for you in here… at all times, with no fear of death," he said seductively.

"How would that be for my benefit," she whispered, voice nearly a whimper.

"Because you would be alive…" Freth began, trying to placate the frail being—then realization hit, and he shook his head rapidly to clear his thoughts. The animal had knowledge of her abilities, even if it was minuscule. He was up in a bound, grabbing the girl by the throat. With a powerful surge of energy, he threw her onto the bed. "You sure are a fiery little cow!" Freth growled, "You think you can change my mind?"

The girl scrambled backwards, hitting her head on the black, wooden headboard of the massive bed. Freth had reached the end of the mattress, crawling up onto it like a predator until all of his lean and muscular mass was on top of the frail girl. Her skin felt cool and smooth against his frame, and the more she squirmed the more he became lustful.

Suddenly stars erupted in his vision, and Freth drew back, something warm leaking down his face. The little whore had struck him. She'd driven her head into his nose and broken it… now blood trickled down his lips. The Sith looked down at the woman, hatred in his eyes as he wiped his mouth, "You little bi---" but the word never left his mouth. He was silenced by the eyes that looked back at him—so filled with fury and anger, and the woman's face, no longer weak and frail—but the undiluted spirit of hatred itself. The sight caused his blood to run cold. There would be no fun tonight… he had to kill this monstrosity.

The Freth tore after the creature with murder on his mind, dark visages urging him to destroy this abomination of the darkness as she sat there in his bed. He threw himself at her; only to feel an intense burning in his lower abdomen, a heat so powerful that it hit his brain. There was the nauseating smell of burnt flesh, the pain and stench drawing Freth's gaze downward to where… sheathed in his gut… was the red blade of a Sith lord's weapon. "How?" he gasped out. Seeking survival, the Sith pulled the girl's wrist away, stumbling backwards off the bed. The once mighty lord had to use the table to support his weight. Freth struggled to keep the room oriented as his vision fogged, tried to keep the monster within his sight but he couldn't think straight.

"You think I'd be interested in any changes you… a man… would make?" the woman's voice slashed through his disorientation. "You are all self-centered mongrels! Swine destined to be slaughtered! Your changes would never benefit me!"

Her voice was so full of rage, it shook Freth's spine… it riddled him with fear. A weapon… he needed a weapon. The man's hand scrambled over the table top, knocking expensive ornaments to the stone floor in his search for the handle. There! It was right there! There was a explosion of blue light off to the right of his vision, and Freth found himself flying, knocked off his feet. He hit the floor hard; felt his should jar with a crack and the stone and grime scrape his flesh as it marred his clothing. He struggled to his feet only to see the demon standing before him; the crimson blades of his own weapon and hers filled both of his eyes… and in the searing heat, then, darkness took him.

*****

In a single bloody night… the order of power had been forever changed. Women, who had never set foot in the streets of Korriban's capital city of Dreshdae, now were wandering around, exploring life for the first time. Men, who had never before bothered with rules or regulations, other than the order of power, now had to watch their step. Things for the world had become very different indeed.

Someone watching from the outside would have said that Virtra's ascent to power was a sheer stroke of luck. She was aided in the fact that she killed Lord Onilth as he came to fetch her. There was no way she could have known about Freth's plot to overthrow Darth Malthazr. Because of the traitorous wretch Freth—Lords Nethzir, Torlah, Yeniell, and Jerca had also perished, killed in their own greed. Only one other Sith had survived and as luck would have it… he was the one to report back to the already slain Lord Freth. Virtra quickly dispatched Darth Ridkal, and the once powerful lineage was reduced to nothing. Luck some would say, but, to any with knowledge, they could see that there was a guiding hand in all of this. The Darkness had enslaved each and every one of the Sith Lords; it was privy to their deepest thoughts. How easy for the darkness to rise up another of its own to vanquish the insufficient and replace them.

It took time that night, but Virtra, with her powers increasing, was able to assert her new found dominance. Her first order was that all former slaves, nurses, and breeders to be released. No woman would ever be forced into subservience… they would not face the degradation or helplessness that she had. Things on Korriban would change and they would change according to how she wanted it. Of course there were those who resisted, soldiers, who were the personal guards of the Sith Lords, and other men who had command of the magics tried to challenge Virtra for control, but they were cut down and used as an example of Virtra's power. Already she was beginning to understand the magics of the former Sith Lords, and how easily it had corrupted them…

She swore to herself then and there that she would not make the same mistake. She had the power for now, and there was no need to position other Lords, not at this time. She would be patient, learning the truth about these magics, listening to what the whispers of the darkness said, and in time she would learn to master the darkness—not have it master her. When she was certain that her powers were absolute… she would then arbitrate those who would become Lords of the Sith under her.

The reign would be different, this she could already see. The Brotherhood would have to be a united strength… a grouping of equals. In order to achieve this they would have to be placed under a common bond. That would be their loyalty to their Master: Virtra. There could not be squabbling or fighting for power… that is what caused the planet's downfall to begin with. She had been given the rare chance to change the way of things, and they would be changed correctly.

The newly stationed Sith Lord looked around the ruling hall of Dreshdae palace. It was too lavish for her tastes. Most of her life had been spent in a small dark room made of stone. There hadn't been ornate furnishings or expensive refinements… the posh interiors of the Sith domain sickened her, the bright objects sending sharp pain into her skull. She had people busily clearing it out, giving it to those who had been deprived. The women could sell these things or keep them for their own devices.

The young, raven-haired woman walked to the nearby window, looking out at the streets below her. You wouldn't have known from looking at the bustling throngs that less than twenty-eight standard hours ago, the streets were void of women. Not with the bustling and joy that was going on below. The craftsmen were overjoyed at having company… meeting children they had never spent time with, talking to women like they had never done before. Families were forming, and Virtra could tell that it was the right turn for her people. This was the proper pathway for saving the civilization.

In time she would move to each of the five remaining Major Cities and then outward to the provinces. Once everyone was situated and taken care of; time would come for expansion and advancement. The people had been put on hold while the Sith Lords had sought power… power would come for Virtra with time, and something told her that with the magics she would be able to find away around that one barrier.

So now was the people's time; they needed her attention and care. Once she had formulated a farming program, instituted learning facilities for the children… responsible learning facilities, and once there were job markets for all; then she could concentrate on making the ruling body more than just herself. It was something she would need to do, because with her vision… the Sith would become something far greater than this single planet.

In truth, her vision was vast… spanning multiple generations and hundreds possibly thousands of years… so she would have to act quickly. She would get the people to a state of normalcy, and then she would begin plans for the grander scale. Time would be needed to adjust and prepare, but when she was ready, the planet would be as well.

"Mistress?" a timid voice came from the entrance to the hall. Virtra turned to see a elderly woman standing there, a worried expression on her face.

"Yes?" Virtra asked, puzzled as to why the woman hadn't actually entered the room.

"Begging you to forgive me for the intrusion your ladyship, but… I was wondering," She paused looking for the right way to say it, "um… your breakfast?"

Virtra raised an eyebrow, "What about it?"

"Have you… had it, yet?"

"No… I was planning to fix it after I had set things to order. It's the first--"

"Oh no! I'm sorry! I'll have it brought out immediately!" with that the little old woman fled from the scene.

Virtra sighed, "You didn't… have to…" She'd never had a proper breakfast… much less have someone make it for her. She'd planned to actually cook for the first time, but apparently the damage done by the other Sith lords was deeper than just freeing the oppressed. Virtra realized she was going to have to show the people with actions that she was… different.

The elderly woman returned, rather quickly for someone of her stature, bearing a cart full of different steaming plates. Exotic fruits lay carved and sliced upon a platter, fresh breads, an odd pile of golden brown flat pastries… more food than Virtra had ever seen in her life, and this looked edible… unlike the nutrient laden gruel they had poured into the holding cells. In fact, there were so many different kinds of food here that a starting point was undeterminable, "I'm… amazed."

The old woman looked at Virtra like she had lost it, which was irritating but she probably expected Virtra to know about such things, "It's breakfast! Lord Malthazr had this brought to him every morning without delay. I suppose you'll be just the same? Breakfast spot on! Not a time to delay. Yolani fetch this and bring that… run here and run there? All you Sith are the same! The elegance of Darth has run to your heads and pretty soon the magics have got you!" The old woman toddled over to look Virtra right in the eyes, "Mark my words: It matters not to Yolani if you are a woman… I can see it in your eyes! You've got a darkness about you girl! Cursed! That's what ye are! Cursed with magics that will one day devour your heart!"

The blunt verbal bashing took Virtra by surprise. Surely she wouldn't have spoken to one of the other lords this way? It took a moment to get over the harsh tones to realize that the wizened old crone was trying to warn her. "Well… that may happen, but right now that food is getting cold," she pointed a pale finger at the cart, "and I'm still at a loss for what we have here. I'm afraid all of this is very new to me… so why don't you teach me about what we have here, and I'll decide what I'd like to have next time?"

"Well…." Yolani drew the word out, appraising the situation with a cynical eye of one who had seen more than enough scheming for three lifetimes. "I guess it can't hurt… can't have you starving now can we? But don't think I'm just going to take ya under my wing! Yolani ain't a fool, and she won't be fooled by nobody. I've survived more Sith Lords of the Darth line than you've seen years… an' I'm not about to go trusting any of you."

"That's the second time you've mentioned the Darth line," Virtra said curiously, "What's that?"

"What's that?! She asks… you'd think she was under a rock all her life," Yolani crowed… which for the most part Virtra had. The newest Sith leaned against the window with an amused smile, coughing slightly to gain the attention of the ranting maid. The old woman seemed to gain a semblance of clarity for a moment and nodded, "Ye would have been locked up wouldn't ye? Well… let me see how best to put it. Before ya came along… there had been a long blood lineage that ruled Korriban. The five families… Dreshdae, Lehesh, Or'laede, Qintis, and Tuerkan… the founding families of the five cities, you be knowing about the right?"

Virtra nodded, she had been informed just recently about the said state of planetary affairs by the palace archivist, also an elderly woman. Apparently the old Sith liked to keep slaves around to do the brunt of difficult labor. Virtra made sure to respect and appreciate their work, something which caused the archivist to nearly die of shock. The ancient archivist had told Virtra about the Sith holdings in the five remaining cities, and how the five families were the only sons who could become Sith. Family Dreshdae was the most prominent, had the most sons lorded, and thus their city was the capitol.

In their search for power, the five families had ignored the rest of civilization, maintaining only their assets and the roads between them. Thus the people were forced to develop small provinces along the trails while the rest of Korriban was devoured by nature herself.

"Well that's good, Yolani would have given up on ye if she had to tell that part of the story," the woman smacked her lips together, gums flapping as she collected her thoughts. "Now… back before I was born, or my mother was born…. Lordy perhaps before her mother's mother was born, Mister Morlun Dreshdae decided to call their little conclave the meeting of Darths."

"Meeting of Lords?" Virtra asked.

"You be correct," Yolani cackled, "Right high of themselves they were. Back then… the women of the family still had some power, still had something to say… and they called the men idiots! Only dolts would sit around in black robes, plotting how to run a planet without consulting their people. Methinks that's why we women got it so bad… the men feared us being smarter then they. It hurt their fragile egos! Ha!"

"So this Meeting of Darths…" Virtra urged, "Did they do something more… something important?"

"Of course they did something important! What do you think… that they just got their names from a magical box and then turned the planet upside down?" the maid barked, "If you want to hear the story then pay attention and stop asking stupid questions!" Virtra's eyes widened in shock and amusement at the old woman's erratic behavior, and she nodded in compliance.

"Eh… let's see… right!" Yolani clapped her hands together as she remembered where she had left off, "At the first meeting of Darths, the heads of the five families decided to do something far different than they had ever done before… they decided to give themselves names rooted in the darkest parts of their magics. Now it was no secret that the five families had gifts, powers that no one could understand… but up until that point they had always used them for control and betterment of the planet. I'd even bet me best pillow that you're part of their bloodline… all of the power ran through the women into the men. The first known gifted was a woman of the Lehesh family… wouldn't that be something if you were her long off descendant?

"But look at me I've gotten off topic again… oh well, the heads had been acting strange for a good bit of time, some rumors had gone round that they was hearin' voices, that they could hear the shadows whispering to them. Don't know if there's any credit to that rubbish, but I do know that they picked names for themselves… terrible names of fear, death, and destruction. I was told by my mother that Lady Loria Or'laede and Lady Bertrice Quintis opposed whatever it was they were doing… the next day they were both executed, along with the other three family matriarchs. It was that day when we women started losing our rights, the day we would start becoming slaves."

Yolani paused, looking up at the dark, glossy wood ceiling apparently lost in her thoughts. Virtra was about to speak when the ancient eyes snapped down to look at her, "Now you've done a right good thing by freeing everyone… you've started out right. Don't go doin' anything stupid now… learn from there mistakes, and Yolani just may tell you more about the stories my mother told me. Now if you'll pardon me, I'll be clearing out your breakfast… and each morning I bring you what you've eaten here." The little old lady got up off her rump and bustled out of the hall with her cart, leaving Virtra there with her thoughts and a half eaten pastry.

So the titles of the Sith Lords were not bestowed by name itself… but by the darkness. She surmised that whatever it was that whispered to her, had been that thing which named the Sith lords. If that was the case then she would not follow in their footsteps. The Darth lineage was ended… but the title of lord could remain in any fashion, ancient tongue or not… as would her own name. She decided at that moment that nothing would strike fear into the hearts of people, nothing would cause loyalty or obedience more than her own name. She could see it now… a future in the farthest reaches of time comprehensible… a time when the mere mention of the name Darth Virtra would cause worlds to tremble.

It was a future worth grinning at. She would shape it with her own hands, just as she was shaping this planet. The darkness would not rule her as it had those swine, the fools idiotic enough to listen to those whispers… she would shape it and bend it to her will… and then she would see just how far her own will could take her.

*****


	3. Dominance Part 2

**Hi~! welcome to the second part of Dominance!!**

**Disclaimer:** If by now you don't know, Virtra is my baby!! I created her and I love her to death. Star Wars belongs to George Lucas!! I don't own it, but I did come up with most of the stuff in this story. The History of Korriban, the five cities... blah blah blah... I came up with it! BWAHAH! Dreshdae is not mine, but the other names for Korriban places are. I named all the characters... I like originality! **Disclaimer:**

**Notes:** Ok... This is little on action and high on history/setting up FORESHADOWING!! So I hope you like this chapter. It's character set-up and practice on speeches and storytelling... and I just wanted to have some fun with this. I don't want to just jump into things without setting up background... so yeah. This part jumps two years ahead of the last part... and you can expect bizarre ammounts of time jumping from part to part. I promise to do my best when it comes to fleshing out what happened in those gaps (without getting boring).

**_~Sarai~_**

* * *

**Darkness Rising**

"Mistress… the people are gathered," a handmaiden's voice entered through the dim murmur of noises floating through the darkness. Virtra opened her eyes and they fell upon the black robed girl who had delivered the message. The handmaiden had her hair pulled up into a tight, formal bun on the back of her head… as did all the other handmaidens. They were Virtra's messengers and envoys, doing what their master desired while holding a high station in society as well.

"Thank you…" the Sith lord said quietly, "The rest of the day is yours… go to your family."

The handmaiden bowed and gracefully exited the dark chamber. She was one of the many girls who served Virtra in various capacities. Her handmaidens were the ministers of the state. Rather than Sith lords, Virtra had opted for gifted young girls to come and serve the newly placed monarchy. Each handmaiden was trained to harness their abilities for persuasion and stealth.

While the immediate take over had been painless, Virtra was not completely accepted planet wide. Pockets of loyalists to the former Five Families, along with the surviving members, were opposing her rule. The major cities and a majority of the populace supported Virtra's reign, but a few of the provinces had taken to harboring the families. The largest holdout was under control of the Dreshdae heir, Markal. His father, who was the late Lord Malthazr, still had many followers who opposed the female populace's return to power. Virtra's handmaidens were her eyes and ears throughout the planet. They went to meetings she could not, delivered messages to her constituents, and when necessary… they removed the opposition.

It was they who had helped her to arrange this speech. It would be the first time she addressed all of the citizens in the five cities in the two years of her reign. She had appeared before different crowds, been seen in the provinces and sectors… but never had she appeared purposefully before the entire planetary population. The time had finally come. Up to this point the purpose of her rule had been defined by vague rumor and assumptions; now it would come from her own mouth.

While many supported her rule, it was viewed by some that she was content to leave things the way they were. Others believed that Virtra would be forcing them into taming the planet. Rumors suggested that she was embellished in her powers from the magics, and that the new Sith would pay them no heed. None of the rumors were particularly good. Yolani had been heaping praise for Virtra to her friends every time she was in the Market, and as far at the citizens of Dreshdae were concerned… the new monarch was heavenly compared to their past life.

Those less fortunate than to live in the same city where their ruler resided, still held to skepticism and disillusionment. Thus when the handmaidens from the capitol had come to the provinces and city centers with news of a public address from Darth Virtra… the entire planet was alive with the buzz of conversation. Gossip and rumor ran supremely throughout the streets, and everyone had been waiting for today. Those who could make it had traveled to the large stadium set up equidistance from all five cities, and those too young, too old, or unable to travel would be watching the speech from the newly set up planetary vision net… a project Virtra had set her scientist to developing. She wanted a way to immediately communicate with anyone planet wide… thus they had created some wave frequency which allowed the transfer of visual imaging and sound. The device had taken a year to build and several months to implement, but now it was ready.

Every city and province had been outfitted with a main screen that could be used to view Virtra's first planetary address… not a single person would be absent… not even those rebellious members of her old enemies.

Virtra exited the dark chamber she had been using to collect her thoughts, walking through a large, heavy curtain that opened onto a high balcony ledge which was overlooking tens of thousands of the populace gathered in seats, sitting on the ground before the stage, and standing in the back spaces to get a good look at the new ruler as she finally revealed herself. Virtra's dark blue robes, midnight and glittering in the light of early morning sun, flew outward as she placed her hands on the railing of the balcony, using it as a podium.

Her black hair had been done up for this occasion, pinned and styled in an elegant weave upon her head; it was formed so that it all flowed down her back as silver filament wove in and out of her tresses. The dark, onyx strands framed her pale face and set her crimson eyes against a dark background… the mere sight of her ominous appearance silenced the crowd, making such a request unnecessary.

Virtra stood straight and regal as she looked out over each an every person gathered; she wondered if they feared her appearance? It didn't matter… The only thing that mattered was the task at hand: dispel rumors and give the truth.

"The time…" she finally spoke, her voice echoing through the stadium without mechanical assistance, "…has come."

"Many of you are new to my face. I am shrouded in rumors, my motives are a mystery, and I am regarded with doubt… but no longer. The time has come for you to see what I am, to hear what I have planned for the future, and to decide whether or not you wish for such glory," there began a murmuring from the crowd and Virtra noticed that it was a mix of opinions. Some were intrigued others were immediately on the defensive.

"Two years!" She exclaimed, "Two years it has taken to get life back to normalcy! Those who came before me took your lives; destroyed families… enslaved and embittered the populace to any figures of power. They ruled by a design of fear and force. They threw you to the side for their own gains, and the planet began to fight back. Two years since their days were over, and still they threaten to destroy the planet with their selfish desires. Have you not received your daughters? Your sons? The armies have been halted, the search for power is no more… your cities, your provinces have grown and been rebuilt… the planet is being cultivated once again… in only two years! We… not myself, but you and I have pushed back hundreds years of oppression in a mere two years. Can you deny that?" Virtra asked impassioned, "If any of you can deny that… I beg you to come forward!" There was a sudden storm of murmuring, not the hesitant whisper… but the murmur or realization, of truth revealed and closed minds beginning to open. No one stepped forward.

Virtra continued as the conversation died down, "We have returned to the way things were… but we cannot deny the loss suffered at the will of those before me. We cannot deny that our once great planet has been reduce, the once great populace severely cut… some of you have seen loved ones die, homes destroyed… you even witnessed cities fall do to negligence and inattention. These two years have seen the return to something normal, but we have not even begun to replace what we have lost. Families… lovers… fathers with their children, mothers with their lives… time!" The word echoed with impetuous force throughout the stadium, like a tolling bell of severity ringing harsh truth to the ears of all who heard it. "That… can never be replaced. You cannot take back lost years. You can see the lost time just as clearly as we do the overgrown portions of cities. You cannot reclaim lost memories the way we regain forest and field. Even though we can rebuild lost monuments, we cannot bring loved ones back—buildings and factories…those are meaningless compared to what has been lost. Time has been stolen from you… and those responsible still wish to take more."

The murmur returned now, but this time it was angry. So angry in fact, Virtra could hear shouts begin to emit from the audience, "Who! Who would dare?! Cursed families of the Darth!"

"What are you accusing?!" one young woman cried.

Virtra held up her hands for silence, "I know not their names… I do not consort with them. They live amongst you, spreading lies and rumors about the monarchy… attempting to associate the title Darth with their illegitimate legacy of lies and ruin. They are embittered and angry. They have lost their power, the same power that was gained by sacrificing your lives and your time. But I did not come here to talk about them! I came here to talk to you about a bright, new, and glorious future!!"

"NO!!" The crowd began shouting, "Give us their names!!"

Virtra's face was impassive, emotionless as stone… but inwardly she was smiling. With this speech her enemies would be destroyed, and the populace would hail her as an honest lord… a ruler to mark the passage of time. "They are the very same families…" the new queen spoke cautiously, "Who founded your cities. The very same families who darken your homes and burdened you ears with lies! Those who would incite war and chaos in order to gain power! But I give you what you deserve… truth!"

"The truth is that I am one of you!!" Virtra bellowed from the balcony, "I too was oppressed, locked in the darkness of their reign! For twenty years of my life I was kept in the dank, horrible confines of their dungeons… kept for their pleasure! I, like your wives and daughters, was treated like cattle… used for only their betterment. However! When it came to me… they decided I was no better than to sate a dark lord's incurable boredom! I was to be used and disposed of… by members of the same families you cry to learn of! And like you now!! I chose one thing and one thing only: I chose life!!" Virtra's passionate nature rolled through the crowd like a wave. The change could be seen on each and every face: the people wanted justice.

At that moment a handmaiden rushed from behind the curtain and whispered into her mistress's ear, "The cities are in a furious rage… the people are running out into the provinces. They are tearing members of the five families from their homes… they want-"

"Blood…" Virtra whispered quietly, enjoying the symphony of the shouts and cries from below, "Now go… I have a speech to finish."

The Sith lord turned her attention back to the crowd, they didn't seem to notice she had taken a reprieve, and held her hands up. The crowd slowly died down "I know what it is you want…" Virtra said calmly, "… it is the same thing I wanted that night two years ago. I wanted my planet back. I wanted my own life. I wanted to make decisions for myself. But more than anything I wanted blood! Blood of the people who had destroyed my home, my life, and my planet… that night two years ago… I took my planet back!! And today I offer that choice to you! I offer you a future to rebuild! I offer you a chance to take your lives and your homes and your families back! Take back your lives and I will glide with the winds of your tenacity! I promise you retribution!!"

"I will make my moves upon the back of you vigor, your energy, and your desires! The Lord of the Sith no longer works for selfish gain! Today the monarchy, and its ruler, flies upon the will of the people to reclaim that which was lost! We will move outward! Expand… increase… abundance is our future! Advancement is our cause! The power will no strive for the monarchy but for its people! The power is in your hands!! Will you sit idly by and allow your enemies to destroy opportunity… or will you make the same choice that I made? What will you do?!"

"Blood!!"  
"TAKE THE PLANET!!"  
"Virtra!!"

The crowd began chanting, worked into an angry frenzy as they poured from the stadium and back to their means of travel. Virtra stood upon her balcony, basking in the power of the knowledge she had just discerned. The Sith lords before her had sought power in the darkness, and they had been destroyed. The darkness would eventually destroy all—that was its nature. But words… words had the power to incite the darkness in others. Words could make one insurmountable.

*****

Unquestioned authority…

In one day, due to one impassioned speech, Virtra has cemented her place in the monarchy and eliminated her opposition. The people of the Five Cities had been enticed, easily urged into a fit of rage… they had taken the most obscure descendants of the five families and murdered them. It was not harsh cold blooded murder, no they did things according to the law… those members were executed after sentencing and a trial.

The true victory had come when those people in the provinces, as they watched the life-like form of Virtra on the high screen. They had become angry… quickly. Those provinces that had been harboring the actual survivors turned them over immediately. Those individuals, who had been closely related to the fallen Darth Malthazr, were turned into a vicious pool of rage and murder. Not one of the traitorous swine survived the night… by the time of the dawn, Virtra's name was on every lip.

"It is served…" Yolani said, bustling into Virtra's chambers with the dinner cart.

"Yes it is," Virtra agreed. "Vengeance, retribution, justice… it has all been served with delicate precision."

"Mm hmm," Yolani gave Virtra a quizzical look, "I don't know what ye are talking about… but I was referring to yer dinner." The maid chuckled and pushed the cart over to the desk and started to uncover the several trays. The desk was the only ornate piece of furniture Virtra had allowed to remain in her room. She liked the craftsmanship, it represented her and, in a way, her rule… elegant and refined, with a humble origin about it.

"Oh… right, yes, of course…" Virtra said, embarrassed about her mistake.

"Nothing to fret," Yolani cackled as she finished with her preparations. Several assorted entrees lay out on the cart, ranging from salad to fish and meat. The old woman was the only member of the old Sith staff that remained, and it was only out of her maternal instincts… she seemed determined to make sure that Virtra didn't go down the same road that her predecessors had. "So… you'll be having no one to oppose ye. Very clever that speech was… ya meant it I hope?"

"Absolutely," Virtra said sternly and with great conviction, "The people were oppressed just as I was. Now I have everything, and I keep gaining more. It's time they start receiving. First the planet… and then we will go from there."

"Sometimes too much is harmful…" Yolani spoke absent mindedly, "Just like the Darths and their search for power. Give too much to the darkness, and you lose yourself. Take too much selfishly and you lose what you had. They lost their identity… and their planet. Ye've started out well and the people like ye. I wouldn't be goin' and messing that up with lofty ambition. Keep yer feet on the ground and move like the past two years. Things'll work out… I'd be willing to bet my bloomers on it."

Virtra nodded, "You're right. I don't plan on making the same mistakes as they did. Which is why I would like to ask you a question?"

"Well don't dance around it dearie," Yolani casually waved a hand to dismiss pretense, "Unhinge your trap and spit it out… I'm not growin' any younger." She sat her plump features down upon the bed's edge and looked at Virtra with impatience.

"The old Sith lords… you said that they took names. What did you mean by that?"

"What do ye think I meant? I mean they swapped out their names for something from the darkness they served," the old woman rolled her eyes, "I swear… sometimes ye are so dense girl."

"That's not what I was referencing," Virtra seethed, "I mean how did they do it? What did the use for a guide?"

The old woman eyed Virtra warily, "Ye aren't thinking of doing the same are you?"

"Definitely not!" Virtra growled, "My name is more than enough. I just… I want to understand what it is that gives me my power, and if names have something to do with it then I want to make sure I use such a thing to my advantage."

"That's a dangerous area to enter as well… ye might become lost along the paths to charting darkness."

"It's a risk I'm willing to take," Virtra said stubbornly.

Yolani nodded, apparently agreeing with Virtra. The maid bustled about, attempting to get comfortable on the bed's edge, but finally decided it wasn't going to happen… so she hopped into the middle of the mattress and crossed her legs. "Fine… let me see whats I can remember. I wasn't there so it's not like I've got an eyewitness memory…. But me family has been in this palace for a few generations now… none of us gifted. We see things, and mother passed down her stories to me as grandmother did to her."

The old woman paused for a moment, "Ya remember what I told you last time? About the council signifying the change of our society?" Virtra nodded. "Well after Morlun Dreshdae and his goons had their wives executed for conspiracy… they started goin' by different names. The five family heads started being called Darth something another. I think that mister Dreshdae was called Darth Hailor, mutterings about him being the lord of dark wisdom… rubbish if I'd had heard it. They was as stupid as you could get. It was their wives who helped to keep everything organized. The moment they started down their quest for power, the planet started fighting back and the people started suffering."

"The big problem was that the five families no longer used their powers to hold back the jungles," Yolani frowned, "Many a good people were killed by beasts… many more by their own lords. Ye happen to be much smarter than those men were when they started, but I don't know if yer wanting to be taking their title. The people may still be cautious around ye."

"The title means nothing," Virtra said irritated, "You yourself said that."

"Aye, that I did… and that's what I tells them," Yolani laughed, "But it's difficult to make old wrongs just disappear. Some of the older citizens is just waiting for ye to start callin yourself the lord of something."

"So the names they took… they had meanings?"

Yolani nodded, "That's what you've had to accept. Not natural that a man like Morlun Dreshdae be a fine and upstanding gentleman one day… and the next day he's murderin' his wife? Something bizarre was a happing with the families. That's why the lords from each always had a name to go with their house."

"Wait," Virtra interrupted, "What do you mean… to go with their house?"

"Yer telling me that ye don't even know about the five houses?" Yolani asked with annoyance. The gaze was met by aggravation and irritation from Virtra, and Yolani laughed. "I keep forgetting that ye were locked up. Not to worry though, the five houses each had a meaning. Dreshdae was the house of knowledge, Lehesh was the house of silence, Quintis was the house of power, Tuerkan was the house of nature, and Or'laede was the house of creation. So ya see it now?"  
"See what now?" Virtra asked. She confused now more than ever before. "What do those names have to do with the names that the Sith lords gave themselves?"

"Ye are either dense… or much more uninformed than I possibly imagined," Yolani muttered.

"What was that?" Virtra asked pointedly.

"Nothing! I was just collecting me thoughts," Yolani smiled, "Now what the names of the houses and the names of the Sith lords have in common is meaning. Morlun Dreshdae was the lord of dark wisdom from the house of knowledge, Darth Malthazr is the lord of omniscience and he too is from the house of knowledge… though a great load of help that omniscience was. That traitorous lord Freth done him in… but then he's from the house of Lehesh so that would stand to reason."

"Why's that?"

"Because!" Yolani exclaimed, "Freth was the lord of deceptions… and silence denotes secrecy. Ye need to start working with me here otherwise my old age will kill me before ya understand what I'm trying to explain to ye."

"So your saying that the houses are named in the same fashion as the Sith lords?" Virtra asked quietly, pondering the possible implications.

"That would stand to reason wouldn't it? The only families that are all born gifted no matter what… are those who head the five cities. I would even go so far as to suggests that the house names are the root of their darkness. The five families always wanted more power, but when the ladies were in charge it was held in check. They had their gifts, but them gifts were used precisely and in proper fashion. Morlun Dreshdae and his goons were the ones that crumbled the works of ages."

"So the other houses… how do their names coincide with the Sith titles?" Virtra asked, eager that they were finally getting somewhere.

"Lets see…" the old woman paused. "I can't remember none of the names from Morlun's time… but we can go with the Sith lords that you took over from. I already told ye Malthazr and Freth… well there was also Nethzir, him being the lord of decay and all. He was the head for the house Tuerkan, late head anyways. Torlah, his son, that brat was the lord of creatures or whatnot. They were both from the house of nature so it fits that their powers was such. Lords from the house of Tuerkan have always been delving into that alchemy."

"That disgusting and corrupted art," Virtra sneered… "Anything that would corrupt the natural order of things…"

"I understand ye, but the lords wanted power and the house of Tuerkan found that they could manipulate nature itself. It went to their heads… that's why we have the Terentatek and the Tuk'ata, both of them dark monstrosities were named after the house Tuerkan. That alchemy was also what made the planet so vicious… it did more damage to the city of Tuerkan than any other. It was tryin' to tell us something methinks, and the Sith lords just ignored it."

"What about the other lords… the other houses?" Virtra urged Yolani back on topic.

"Right… right you are," she fumbled off the bed and went about cleaning up Virtra's plates, as the dinner had barely been touched. "Now there was Lord Yeniell from the house of Or'laede… he was lord of earth. Perhaps he wouldn't have been too bad a person, but he was steadily at Malthazr's heels… never got the chance to do anything worth mention. But the house of creation always held sentimental ties to the planet and the life around it. The other families called them soft, but they could do things with de earth, the air… the water… terrible things in ways, but beautiful as well. Right good shows they put on in my great-grandmother's times I hear… but that's gone by the wayside now. Then there were the two lords of house Quintis, Verca and Ridkal. Verca was a merciless brute… like a mountain he was and his brother Ridkal was a sniveling parasite. They both outwardly supported Malthazr, but Ridkal was always looking for more power. Verca was aptly named the lord of strength and Ridkal was the lord of demons… both coming from the house of power they had half of the gifts. Verca was the brawn and he had the pure power of the magics… but Ridkal, he was the more dangerous one in me own opinion."

"For what reason?" Virtra asked skeptically, "If his brother had the strength then-"

"Stop interrupting me! That's how I lose my place!" Yolani scolded, "Strength isn't everything, Virtra. Ridkal had the power of illusions… he could turn your fork in to a poisonous viper right there in your hands, and you'd not know that it was false. His tricks are what allowed Freth's plan to work I thinks… and it was always difficult to know what Ridkal was doing or who was actually with him… nothing about him was certain and ye were lucku that ya caught him unawares and killed him quick. Nasty thing those illusions were, an' more than once the house of Quintis was used to put down minor riots and uprisings. Always with their illusions so that we didn't know who was actually fighting and who was just a thought."

"So Quintis had brute strength and strength of mind…" Virtra mused, "Those would both be considered power."

"Precisely…" Yolani gave verbal applause, pleased that Virtra was finally getting it. "So you see what I was talking about before? With the names of the houses and the lords being combined?"

"Yes… except for Dreshdae… what was their specific trait?"

Yolani frowned, "I'd have thought you'd figured that one out by now… they had knowledge of the language darkness spoke. They had total control over the names of the Sith lords. Dreshdae were the masters, they named the lords and had power over them because of it. The lords of Dreshdae also wielded superior arcane mights…. Lightning, fire, darkness… it all bent to their will like weak metal alloy."

"Could the other Sith lords do these things?" Virtra asked hesitantly.

"What? The lightning and what have you?" Yolani scoffed, "Of course not… that would mean that Dreshdae had lost their hold. The lords of Dreshdae commanded the arcane might… they also sometimes had powers of the other houses, but never have I heard of the lower lords having powers of Dreshdae… perhaps if one of them were to learn to speak to the darkness… perhaps, but that gift was solely given to the head family."

"Because of the name you think?"

Yolani nodded, "Most assuredly… I think ye would be most correct."

"Power over people because of names…" Virtra mused. If she were to start her own brotherhood, after learning what this darkness was whispering and how it applied—perhaps she could harness it; then she could have ultimate control. She would be able to make sure that there were no divisions, no break in loyalty, and definitely no deceptions or treachery. However, Yolani's latest information startled her… could she be a child from Dreshdae? Or had she merely been lucky to be gifted from another birth, and if so… was she chained to the darkness like her past?

These thoughts annoyed her, and Virtra had become loathe of being annoyed. She refused to let these dark magics control her or dictate her path… and she'd find out where she came from before she took any step further. If she was indeed descended from Dreshdae, then she would find out just how much power these names had.

She noticed Yolani leaving and hurriedly spoke, "Where are you going?"

"Ye bees deep in thought, dearie," the old woman stated kindly, "And I've got to be cleaning this up so I can get some rest… not as young as I used to be. Yolani knows that you appreciated her help… so don't fret your head none about it." With that she bundled herself out of the room, and Virtra could hear her and the squealing cart as they lumbered down the hall.

Virtra waited until she couldn't hear any more sounds, and then went to sit behind her desk. The first thing to do would be to check the birth records for the five families… and see if there was anything about her in their. If not she would trace herself back from that dank cell. Surely they had records for all of this… and if they did not, she would find out by other means.

*****

**=Virtra Kolan=  
****Born to: Michael Kolan and Virtres Holt  
****Gifted.  
Sent to education site: Dreshdae  
****Designation: breeder**

Virtra sat behind her desk the next morning, reading over the birth card information that her handmaidens had found. Nothing tied her to Dreshdae influence… much less their cursed inheritance. As far back as their records went, the Kolan and Holt families were as much peasantry as she was ruler. Her mother had been killed two years after her birth for producing a second child that wasn't gifted… Virtra had been the only child born into that family with the "gifts". Had times been different then this would have been cause for joyous occasion, but rather it just meant Virtres Holt had to suffer longer at the hands of her captors.

The thought caused a rage to build up inside Virtra. Seething anger at the seemingly limitless pain these Sith lords had caused. She wished daily for a different outcome that night, that she had slaughtered them all, but there was nothing she could do. The future was hers, and she could right as many of these wrongs as possible. Still… this news wasn't all bad. In actuality it gave Virtra more information about the darkness she was attempting to understand.

It was now apparent that people outside of the five families could harness the magics… and while the names from the darkness might have held sway… they are not all powerful. The powers of the houses could be mastered by one outside, and if that was so then anyone could learn those powers if they were strong enough.

This knowledge told Virtra that things would end up her way… and that once she could control the magics completely… she could control more than just the world. Why stop with Korriban… why stop with just a few planets? Why stop with just territory or the darkness… when she could learn to control life itself. Everything that exists could be brought to her will.

Just a bit of understanding was all that stood between her and ultimate control.


	4. Dominance Part 3

**Alright!**

This is the end of the first part. After some creative editing... Dominance is completed. I moved a few things from this part over to the next, but right now... don't know if I'm going to continue this story. I really want to focus my efforts on SoA, and frankly... there hasn't been much interest in Dawning Midnight. That's not to say that I won't finish it, but perhaps people will be more inclined to read this once I've finished my other story. Thus I welcome you to enjoy the completion of the first part of this triology of short stories.

_**~Sarai~**_

**

* * *

**

**Unthinkable Sorrows **

Firelight danced across the crimson irises of Darth Virtra's eyes. Tiny sparks from the inferno danced through the air before her, like tiny pixies… fluttering and twisting their way towards the heavens until their small little lives burned out and they fell to the ground like ash. Thousands of their tiny little bodies were crushed as her boot settled into the ground. Each step that the woman took unsettled the graves of thousands of burnt out sparks.

Ash… soot… cinder… it covered the ground, grass, forests… all around for miles things were burning. Shouts and screams rang throughout the air and as the Sith lord brought her journey to its end; she looked out over the horizon with great satisfaction… Elom was taken, the capital of Elos was ablaze… and those who had not been slain, surrendered or enslaved… had been forced into the harsh embrace of the frozen deserts. The campaign of ages had begun; Korriban had grown fat and complacent in their own posterity. The affluence of the nations… the burgeoning five cities and of their holdings had grown lax. It was revolting to see such passiveness in a warrior race, and Virtra deemed it high time to increase their initiative as well as their strength. It had taken her ten years to discover a way to make her rule absolute and eternal.

She had harnessed the darkness to her will, and it gave her life, protected her body and beauty, After she was assured to rule for all times, she set about making the planet prosperous…. something the Elomin were not. Korriban was once again a great and shining jewel, but the Sith empire had done its damage. It had taken Virtra another six decades to reclaim lost lands, rebuild those cities that were lost… and then begin expansion. Her rule had passed its hundred year mark before she had obtained enough resources to begin construction of an armada. The scientists had finally discovered a way to take her armies off planet, and the time had come to stretch her wings… to see how far her power could go.

Elom was a prime target… nearby and out of the way from the eyes of this entity called the Republic. Elom was a perfect test for the powers of her new regime. If they could conquer it easily… then with time they could conquer the rest of their neighbors… then who knew how far the vast reaches of the darkness could be stretched?

"Missstress," a dark shadow appeared suddenly behind her, dropping to one knee. "The planet hassss surrendered to your demandsss."

"Thank you, Ka'leba," Virtra replied. "I'll leave the cleaning up in the hands of you and your men. Have my generals set up a stationary implementation and begin putting the Elomin to work. I want this planet to have productivity for my campaign.

"What the Sith God ordersss… so shall I obey," the shadow bowed and then departed soundlessly.

Virtra sighed lightly, turning from her vantage point to return to her waiting shuttle. Ka'leba was a Dashade warrior, one of their finest. She had come across him and his tribe by merest coincidence… a touch of fate perhaps? She had taken a year to herself, a necessity to determine how she would maintain her rule, and one of her stopping planets had been Urkupp. It was the home to thousands of these warriors, strong and lithe, they were perfect soldiers of the darkness and she had very little difficulty obtaining their loyalty.

The Dashade were extremely religious, and it just turned out that Ka'leba and his tribe worshiped the entities of the shadows which hid them. They were immune to the effects of many sith magics, but they could not stand to her might. When Virtra showed up with control over their very protection, she immediately became a god to them. Ka'leba had sworn his loyalty until his tribe no longer breathed… and Virtra had accepted their service gratefully, and the Dashade warriors immediately took the place of her handmaidens, whom she had returned to their families and their own lives. It was better for all, save Yolani, who swore up and down that the "stinking lizards" were deliberately making her work more. The old woman had only gotten more irritable and crabby in her old age, and often times Virtra thought about letting her die all together. However, the thought of being without Yolani's guidance was horrifying… which is why Virtra used just as much of her strength to keep the old woman alive as she did herself. The Sith Lord was amazed many times over at the power she had to command.

Such power was not without its price, but it was more than a price she was willing to pay in order to see her dream to completion.

The years had been much kinder to Yolani than they would have been… had Virtra not been protecting her. The old woman was arguing heatedly with one of the younger kitchen staff maids, not watching where she had been going, and fell down two flights of stairs. She could and would have died… had Virtra's powers not been concentrated upon her. Yolani took that knowledge afterwards with both bitterness and gratefulness. She was grateful that Virtra cared enough to watch out for her, but bitter at being treated as old and robbed of her chance do die. The talk was ludicrous, and Virtra dismissed it that time.

However the old woman continually brought it up throughout the years, the same nonsense about it being natural to die, and how she wanted to go out in her own blaze of glory… most of the times Virtra concentrated on something else rather than listen to Yolani during her rants. There was nothing glorious about being ordinary or allowing natural things to take place, not when you could change the natural order. Yolani would come to thank her with time… especially once Virtra discovered how to reverse aging, rather than stop it. The darkness surely could do that—and even if it could not, Virtra was immortal! The rest of the pathetic human and alien races be damned; she had discovered how to make the darkness work for her own life!

The fires from Elos provided a rustic silhouette to Virtra as she approached her personal transport back to Korriban; the pilots already had the contraptions prepped and ready for departure. It would be good to finally return home. While the Elom campaign had only taken a mere two months, it was something that increasingly began to bore her. There was no warrior among them… no dozens of warriors who could stand against her. It was a secret desire of hers… to not only make her power absolute, but to find a race out there… some entities that could cross blades with her and finally allow her to release her full strength.

"Alas…" she thought as the boarding ramp closed behind her, "No such beings exist…"

*****

"Yolani!" Virtra called out as she walked into her room, "Is the meal ready?"

"No…" a wizened old voice muttered, not from the hallway but from the dark, unlit interior of her study. Perplexed and uncertain, Virtra walked into the side branch of her quarters where her desk and meeting area were now set up. She didn't even bother to reach over to the lights, rather they were slapped on by an invisible touch… and, as the white glow illuminated the surrounding chamber, there sitting on her desk was Yolani with a very angry expression upon her face.

"Yolani… what's going on?"

The old woman didn't even look at Virtra as she spoke, "Didn't make the food… didn't feel like it."

"Ok, that's fine," Virtra acquiesced. She never required Yolani to do any of the tasks that she performed, but the elderly matron insisted upon doing something to keep herself busy, "I'll just call one of the kitchen maids to bring us something."

"No," she muttered again. "Don't feel like eating."

"Why not?" Virtra was puzzled. Yolani was normally vibrant… not this morbid character before her now.

"Did ya do it?"

"Do what?"

"When ya went out," Yolani pressed, "Did ye do it?"

"What?" Virtra urged heatedly for a little more information, "What do you want to know? If I went to the embassy? Did I pick up something for myself? Did I go to Elom to oversee the invasion? What do you want to know that I did?"

"Don't get irritated with me!" Yolani snapped, the first time since they'd known each other… the first time in over a hundred years that Virtra could recall Yolani ever raising her voice in anger towards her. "I want to know if ya plunged yourself into de battle?! Did ya murder someone's child? Did ye slaughter countless mothers and fathers in yer quest for this unwholesome supremacy? DID YE PLAY GOD AGAIN VIRTRA?!"

The dark lord took a step back at the verbal barrage. "Don't…" she barely was able to speak as the woman, whom she considered to be her mother, turned into some distorted figure of rage before her.

"Don't what?" Yolani spat with disgust, "Don't make ya crimes seem so bad? Don't tell you that your heart is as dark and twisted as the ones who came before ye? I told ye the moment I set eyes on ya… not to let the darkness dig its claws in. I told ye that you were cursed! And you done gone and ignored me! The darkness had eaten your heart and there's nothing of the real you left! Ya lust for more power… but unlike the others ye do it in the guise of something grand for the betterment of us all; however, I know yer gonna be our death! Well if it's to your liking, Mistress… I'll tell ye that you're the most dangerous being of the darkness ever!"

"Don't!" Virtra snapped, hoping that some sense of danger would get the old woman to shut up, "Don't say something you'll regret!"

"There! You speak with sweet promises, you offer packages with golden coatings, but they are tainted… the darkness around you corrodes everything that you touch until nothing but your sick taint is left! You've corrupted this planet into a war machine for yer own wicked desires, and now the people of Elom have had to pay for yer lusts!" Yolani jumped off the desk and jabbed a finger at Virtra, "The only things that matter are what ye want and when ye can get it and how long is in between! Ya think you can control life itself and I'm tellin ye right now that yer going ta fail!"

"Silence! Do not say another word!" Virtra cried, "Stop this, please?!"

"Oh, what's the matter?" Yolani snarled, "You're big and mighty until some little old woman wants to take a poke at ya? Ye've got your disgusting little lizards calling you god and worshipin' the ground you walk upon. Isn't that enough? Or do ye want me bowing down to you as well? Must Yolani bend her back even more to satisfy your lust for power?" Virtra found herself backing against the wall, trying to get away from the glaring eyes that threw so much hatred upon her. "Look at ye Virtra! You were supposed to rule upon the will of the people! Fly upon their winds to greater glory! But at you now: a pathetic… power hungry… degenerative… low life!" The old woman jabbed her gnarled and boney finger into the Sith Lord's chest with each accusation, "Not even worth the scorn I would have to summon to spit upon ye!"

"I… kept you… alive!" Virtra's cry was a mixture of seething rage and a wail of despair, "I looked at you… like my mother!"

"WELL THAT WAS YER MISTAKE!" Yolani spat, "I could never love something so hideous and cursed at you! Yer revulsion to me! You're nothing' but another pawn for the magics! "

Virtra's eyes narrowed into thin slits, stopping her retreat and standing to her full height where she towered above Yolani. "What did you say?" the tone was cold and harsh as finished steel.

"You heard me! PAWN!"

Virtra's hand lashed out at the word, the nails of her fingers slashing through the soft flesh of the woman's neck. Yolani crumbled to her knees with both of her hands clasped tightly around the gaping wound, blood oozing between her fingers. The sight both mystified and rendered her to horror. Virtra stood there, watch as the woman she cared so much for… died on the floor of her study. The Sith brought the hand which had done the deed up to her eyes, mesmerized at the sigh of the warm, crimson blood congealing there on her fingers.

The blood glistened like liquid rubies upon her fingers and the sight… was enthralling to the dark lord. She forgot her horror, rather looking down at Yolani with the same sneer she had offered a moment before, "The darkness… is mine! I don't care what it is you think. My will… my magics… my empire… my rule. I was a fool to think that anyone would care about me, and I think I owe it all to you for opening my eyes. I'm going to take my campaign in a startling new direction: no more conquering for power, for wealth, for my own gain or that of my people…. I have a new goal."

Virtra crouched down, bending her knees so that her mouth was level with Yolani's ear, "I'm going to make the galaxy bleed. I'm going to render it asunder… death, chaos! Oh! It will be glorious… and I have you to thank for this revelation. The truth about the darkness… is that it wants to enslave you and increase your power for its own devices, but I… I will control it. I will use it for my will and just like you have died here… so will every other thing in the pathetic galaxy perish!"

"Behold!" Virtra said, standing up to hold out her hands, "I will make my own title, I will institute my own brotherhood…. I will be Darth Virtra, Lordess of Blood! I will institute others to serve under me! I will bind them to me just as the darkness is now bound to my will. Unfortunately… you won't live to see it."

Yolani turned her dying eyes up to look at the dark lord towering above her, the wizened old voice now frail and fleeting, "Look, Virtra… killed me. Thank… y-ou…."

For one moment Virtra stood there horribly aghast. She couldn't believe that she had been duped, but the horror was quickly replaced by rage, and before the old hag could die completely, Virtra boot lashed out and kicked the woman in the face. Yolani's neck snapped under the force and the old woman's body fell backwards. Angrily Virtra swore, turning about in a flurry of dark robes. She stormed out of her chambers and into the hall—death and anger in her eyes. The very first person to see the raging Sith was a poor kitchen maid, who's last sight was Virtra's nails clawing her eyes out.

Virtra beat upon the helpless girl long after the life had gone from her body, her hands painted solid red and her thirst sated for now. She stood up upon sensing a familiar presence around her, "You've returned, Ka'leba?"

The Dashade looked upon the scene before him with indifference, "To my people, blood offersss a pathway to extreme powersss."

"I did not ask you about your culture, I asked about the situation at Elom," Virtra snapped.

"I meant no offenssse," Ka'leba bowed low, sweeping his scaled arm across his chest and bowing to the woman before him in a sign of fealty, "Elom is completely yourssss, Misstresss."

Virtra nodded, letting the corpse she had pinned to the wall drop without any further care. She was better now. The anger at herself for being duped had passed, and now she was filled with only a mild twinge of regret…. She'd done exactly what she'd promised not to do… she'd become sidetracked, "Am I… a monster Ka'leba?"

Her shadow let out a disgusted snort, a derisive sound that conveyed his disbelief and incredulity at the question, even more so than his words, "No! You are the mossst gloriousss of beings! You are the god of our darknesss, the eternal protection of my people! You should bathe in the blood of innocentsss just to keep yourself pure!"

"My quest for power led me to follow everything I held in contempt…" Virtra said, despite his protest. "I sought to increase my power; I put my people at the brunt of my greed… I am to be despised."

"Heresy!" Ka'leba shouted.

"No…" Virtra held a hand up to silence him. "I was following my powers rather than controlling them… a thing I will have to rectify. From now on things will be… very different. Our campaign is now one of blood, Ka'leba. Do you disagree?"

"I do not understand…"

Virtra stood up and turned her blood colored eyes upon the Dashade, "I am going to ravage the galaxy. I'm going to destroy all infidel… the swine, the vermin, the pestilent insects that take without recompense! I am Lordess of Blood and I will make the galaxy bleed… now tell me, will you follow!"

Ka'leba nodded, his ivory colored teeth shining in the dim light as he smiled, "My clan followssss you… until death. Be it ourssss or the death of all!"

*****

There was a stumble of footsteps; hands flew out to brace against a fall… the skidding scratch of porcelain against stone…

CRASH!

Lilah Demar had both hands wrapped around a marble pedestal; her head hung low with her hair wildly about her face. The fine Corellian vase that once stood there now laid in thousands of pieces on the stone floor—a work of perfection now completely ruined. However, the woman didn't seem to care… didn't see anything that was going on right there around her. Rather she was locked in sight behind her sapphire blue eyes… behind the veil of honey colored hair that shielded her face and covered her ragged breathing. Lilah saw darkness.

Impenetrable, undiluted darkness… deeper and far more vast than the vacuum of space. She saw burning fires, raging out of control… she saw streets filled with blood, people being slaughtered… death and chaos engulfing all that surrounded her.

Life was no longer safe.

The emerald and olive colored tunic that she wore was saturated with a cold, dank sweat… the sweat of fear. Her dark green robes clung to her clammy skin, the rough fibers plastered to her neck. Beads appeared on her forehead, matting her hair… the salty essence burning her eyes as she was hunched there, riveted to the vision. A shadow had appeared—something that was worse than anything imaginable. Worse than war, worse than famine… something was coming to the galaxy that they had never seen before. There something the Jedi had never faced.

Something they might not be prepared to face.

"Lilah!!" a masculine voice cut through the vision and snapped her back to reality. Her head whipped around wildly as she tried to locate the voice; she looked like a crazed harpy clutched to the perch-like vase stand. Just then, Luc Tyrman came into her vision… from what she could make out through the mess of hair that obstructed her vision. He was carrying or dragging something… Lilah ventured one hand gingerly away from the pedestal to brush the hair out of her face and finally saw what was going on around her: The shattered vase had created a minefield of dangerous porcelain shards, the Senior council member stood there with his shining bronze hair and pale white skin—his violet hued, blue eyes filled with worry as he supported another member of the council: Pui-tru Non. The Mon Calamari Jedi must have fainted… being a seer, she had to have seen the same vision Lilah had. Upon closer inspection Lilah could tell that Pui was just very weak. The female Mon Cal's ebony eyes, orb-like and glistening, ame up to lock upon her own, "Did you see it… Lilah?"

She nodded, "I did, Pui. It was so… horrible." Lilah must have looked like a withering tree, or something awful because Luc was giving her a gaze of much concern. His silver robes were completely covering his frame, hemmed in navy and decorated sparsely with white diamond emblems. Under those custom robes he wore the standard, rough, white tunic that many Jedi wore. He looked the vision of a fairytale hero coming to save her.

"Mrmm… trouble we are all looking at," a voice came from around Luc's knees. Lilah looked down and saw a little green Jedi with gold and copper robes flowing about him. The little gremlin-like Jedi had long and wispy silver hair, and a golden circlet donned his brow. This Jedi Master was, with all regards, the oldest among them and equal in most rights to Luc for power… and probably far surpassed the human male in wisdom and knowledge. Master Tolar came from an unknown planet, and no one else of his species had emerged since his time of being there. There had been another master of the same race years before, but Tolar had not appeared until after the previous master's death. These odd, little, green entities were beyond strange in Lilah's opinion, but no one could deny Tolar's contributions or his importance. While the tiny Jedi Master normally walked around slowly, his wooden quarter staff always on hand (it was funny to see him carry the thing piece of wood, seeing a how it was several inches taller than he), Lilah knew better than to think the wise old Master as feeble.

Pui shook her head, "No… we are… looking at the death of the force…" She was rare for a Mon Calamari. Not only was she blessed with the powers of the force and the gift of sight, but Pui was from a rare class. Unlike most of her kinsman who had rustic colored skin: red, brown, and gold; Pui had a turquoise hue with milky white fins… and unlike many females she had a regal crowning about her head that flared when her emotions rose, often earning her nickname "Jedi Princess". Lilah had given it to her friend in all kindness, knowing full well that Pui disliked the confining Jedi robes or the dry state of their temple. The Mon Calamari Jedi Master preferred to wear an opera gown of her people, blue and silver, it looked to be a part of her own skin. She was very much the sight of elegance and showed the more delicate persona of the amphibious Jedi.

"What!?" Luc looked at the three masters around him, "Are you certain?"

Lilah nodded, "Nothing has ever hit me this hard… this is something dark, Luc… something…"

"Evil," Pui finished for her. Lilah nodded, along with Tolar, this was something vastly evil.

"Whatever it is," Tolar muttered, "I have never seen anything like it, not in all the years." Luc's expression only became more worried. It didn't help settle Lilah's conscience either—Tolar had been among the Jedi for over three hundred years, and if he hadn't gleaned anything of this magnitude then it was a grave omen indeed.

"Do we have anywhere to begin our search?" Luc's question was hesitant, obviously showing that he had no desire for further bad news.

It was Lilah who answered him, "I don't know about the others… but if they saw what I did, then no. We have no leads. I could only feel incredible fear and see darkness like never experienced."

Luc sighed, "You are my three seers… the council bases its decision and action primarily upon what you see. I need you to tell me truthfully: is this something that I should alert the senate about?" The three seers looked back and forth between one another. Pui shifted her feet agitatedly… she was a very peaceful creature, preferring democracy and negotiation to war. So strong was her pacifistic nature that she refused to carry a lightsaber, instead relying totally on the force and her wit to sustain and protect her.

"No." Tolar was impassive, a stone sentinel who did not falter when he responded, "My vision went beyond space we can see. Until we know more… if more there is to know, then we do not say anything. Unpredictable visions of the future… often times when one tries to prevent them, causes that future to happen. We wait and see if the force can tell us anything other than what we have seen… or if merely an omen the vision."

Lilah didn't agree, but she also didn't have anything else to go on. It's not like she could ask Luc to go to the Senate Rotunda this afternoon and beg the Republic to begin searching for something that may not even exist yet. The Republic had just become united as of recent time… as with the addition of more planets into the embrace of democracy. There was no war machine, no army, and with no strength to back up a full scale investigation into this vision then there was no point. She conceded herself to Tolar's plan, "I agree… until we know more then there is nothing we can do."

Luc nodded reluctantly, "Very well… the chancellor has asked that I be present for the next meeting, and so I must depart. Lilah… Tolar… if you could assemble the council and meditate on what you have seen, perhaps we can discuss more when I return?"

"The force with you," Tolar bid Luc farewell and left the small gathering, "I'll send a cleaning droid down for the vase. No worries, Lilah."

She bowed and thanked Master Tolar as he left and then turned to face Luc, "You be careful. The Senate means well, but that doesn't stop greed. Everyone is out to gain more power or keep that which they have… even the chancellor. The Republic isn't finished with its creation, and we are destined to protect democracy and the peace, not the individual senators and politicians. Please don't let yourself be pulled around by them."

"Lilah is right," Pui piqued up, "I've seen dark tidings about the Senate… corruption and greed poison the roots of democracy, and it will be the downfall of the Republic if it is not stopped." Lilah had always admired Pui, for her sight was vastly more developed than hers. Pui could sit down and concentrate on a flower several million light-years away… or she could hone in on events that may transpire millennia in the future. No one ever knew if Pui's visions would come true tomorrow or next lifetime, but her track record so far was unblemished. If she gave you a warning… you heeded it.

Luc hugged the Mon Calamari, thanking her for the concern and gave Lilah a roguish smile, "I'll be fine… just set my mind to rest by finding out what made the three of you loose it today. Alright?"

"I'll do that…" Lilah assured him. She and the Mon Calamari watched as Luc departed, heading for the air taxi that would take him to the Senate. Every time he left it hurt… Lilah didn't know whether or not he'd be coming back, and she didn't think she could take it if he were to be gone. At least not before he knew how she felt.

"He will…" Pui said with a confident air to her voice. She stepped out of the way as a cleaning droid rolled by, scooping up the fragments of ruined vase as he did.

Lilah looked at the young girl with shock, "What?"

"Don't worry… you'll tell him one day, and so will he…" Pui gave a look of mischievous delight and then ran off down the temple corridors with Lilah chasing after her, demanding that she explain herself. For one brief moment they were padawans again, the dark omen forgotten and set aside… for a short time it would not haunt their happy lives. Why let something that they knew nothing about, dictate how they lived. Until it became dire, they would enjoy the time they had.

Jedi Master Tolar watched them silently, his brow furrowed in deep concentration. From his vantage point in the shadows, the elderly being could tell that this vision was far more pertinent than the Senate meeting or a council meditation. As great a seer as Pui was… and for all Lilah's enthusiasm—Tolar was still much older, and his connection to the force had been allowed more time to develop… he knew this vision bore more than just these ominous dark waves. At the next council meeting he would suggest sending a Jedi scouting team to see what was to be found beyond the known space realms.

*****

"ORDER!! ORDER!!" the speaker of the Senate shouted, his voice booming high over the murmurings and mutterings of the multitude of senators. Luc stood in an alcove overlooking the interior of the Senate rotunda. The speaker, Kors Letrim, was a staunch bureaucrat and a wizened politician… a complete opposite of the chancellor who was elected by his "for the good of democracy" campaign. While the chancellor was the political center point, everyone who mattered knew Kors was the one calling shots. Chancellor Yorelani was a strong man, but he lacked the scrutinizing vision of a politician. While he saw the big picture, his campaign and policy making relied heavily on Kors, and that was something the speaker took advantage of.

"The chair now recognizes the respectable Senator from Elom…"

One of the boxy hover podiums disconnected and moved to circle around the Chancellor's podium. The Elomin Senator was obviously distressed, agitated for some reason. The jagged spikes of his head were glistening with what must be his species sweat, and while they were normally a vibrant rose color… the Senator seemed pallid. "Thank you, Chancellor," the senator replied with a bow, "Just of recent, my planet has undergone a… change in policy. Therefore I am here to present before you the newly elected Senator: Miss Selera De'cart." The Elomin motioned to a cloaked figure towards the back of the box, whom promptly stood up and moved to the speaker's podium.

Luc concentrated upon the figure, intent as he observed the new senator removed his… no her cloak, hood and all, and set it in the seat closest to her. She was rather exotic and definitely human, pale skin and deep rustic, brown hair. She worn dark blue senatorial garb, fashioned in a style he couldn't label. It was a dress robe that resembled the Jedi tunic in fashion at the top, but as the clothing moved further down her form it was undoubtedly a dress. The patterns and embellishments were also foreign to the Jedi Master, in both language and origin.

Senator Selera inclined her head to the chancellor, ignoring Kors Letrim… a feat the impressed Luc very much, "Chancellor Yorelani… I come representing the new government of Elom."

"Excuse me," Kors interrupted, "But we have not be informed about any political changes on Elom save for this very moment."

"That is understandable, do to its recent occurrence," Selera retorted, "Elom was recently claimed by my planet. Seeing as how our property is now within your embrace we felt it necessary to approach you personally, in order to inform you that Elom will no longer be a member of the Galactic Republic."

This proclamation was met with a huge uproar and cries of dismay, thousands of senators exclaiming at the shock Luc himself was feeling at sick that very moment. Elom had just currently joined the Republic and now… some unknown faction had taken over, possibly… undoubtedly by force.

Elom was the farthest planet in Republic space and the Elomin people had been the ones to contact the Republic. The Senior Jedi was rather way with this new proclamation. With the Elomins' love of slug throwing weapons and the complete order in their existence, there was no doubt that the planet had been conquered. "This could possibly have implications pointing towards the seer's visions…" Luc thought, his brow furrowing in frustration. "Whoever is behind this invasion, this envoy knows." Suddenly Senator Selera's gaze diverted to look directly at him… and Luc could sense a vague kindred spirit in the woman.

"She's force sensitive," a voice said from behind him.

Luc turned to see his padawan Kal Vorc standing behind him. Kal was his most prized pupil… well he was Luc's first pupil as well, but the boy was a shining star of the Jedi Order. Every female padawan treated Kal like an idol, and with his short cut, jet black hair… the dark skin of his race and the irritating rogue-like attitude of his, Luc could understand why. "I was just thinking that," he replied to his student, "I don't know if she can control it… but she's definitely highly attuned to the force."

"ORDER!!" Kors Letrim yelled over the commotion of the senators, slamming his gavel to issue force behind his demand. "Senator Graff! Do you back Senator Selera's claims?" The irritable speaker questioned of the Elomin.

"I do," Graff responded. He was cowered in the seat to Selera's left, and looked rather diminished… very unlike a senator.

"The chair demands an explanation!"

Selera held her hands up in a placating gesture… an obvious politician. "Please," she soothed, "calm yourself, sir. Elom was taken under a declaration of war… it was between factions outside of your government."

"Preposterous! An attack on Elom is an attack on the Republic it--" Kors was outraged, and for the first time in his term, Chancellor Yorelani silenced him.

The middle-aged man held a hand up in front of the Speaker's face and addressed Senator Selera, "While we acknowledge Elom as a planetary system… the Senate is currently unaware of which faction you represent Senator. If your planet is indeed outside of Galactic Republic jurisdiction, and you have engaged with hostile force upon a planet protected within… it is a declaration of war upon the Republic itself. Are you aware of the implications and perils within such an association?" Luc turned his attention away from Kal, focusing now upon the woman who was effortlessly staring down both the Chancellor and the Speaker of the Senate without so much as mild discomfort.

This was not a feat easily accomplished, as Chancellor Yorelani looked quite superior and ominous in his black robes of office. His crisp shaped hair, the tall stature and daunting stance were obviously what urged the populace to elect him, even if he had been rather ineffectual up until this point. Kors Letrim was equally as menacing in his own right. The Corellian was taller than the Chancellor and younger as well; his dark complexion and sharp facial features made him very harsh in appearance. He had the tendency to wear aggressive colors, such as his crimson stately robes that he wore today. Yet under the look of these two imposing men, the roar of mumblings from the other senators, and the quiet observation of two Jedi… this woman was cool, almost confident.

"I am completely aware of the implications," Selera responded. Luc could have sworn that she was smiling as the chatter and hushed voices increased in volume. The Chancellor made to speak, and this time it was Selera who did the interrupting, "…In fact that would be to the extreme delight of my Mistress. You may consider this a formal declaration of war!"

There was no restraining the uproar that broke out after this proclamation, not even as Kors shouted and banged his gavel, the veins bulging at his temples as he tried to maintain order. "That's insane!" Kal shouted, "She's got to be joking!"

Luc shook his head as he watched Chancellor Yorelani slump down into his seat, dejected and defeated… this would be the event that breaks the back of his career. The Jedi Master couldn't help but feel for the man as he shook his head, denying Kal that possibility, "I'm afraid that the seers have seen something… and this only fits well within their parameters."

"What?! What did they see?" Kal asked; worry sweeping over him in waves of despair and misunderstanding.

"Darkness…" Luc said quietly, viewing the chaos in the senate with disdain. "Great… unspeakable darkness." As he turned back to the disorganization below; the Elom senatorial box had left rotunda center, and Selera was nowhere in sight.

*****

"We cannot ignore a vision of such magnitude!" Lilah said firmly. The council had finally convened and Luc was still nowhere to be found. Surely the Senate didn't have him tied up for this amount of time… four hours was long even for his patience.

Pui was seated next to her and the Mon Calamari still hadn't recovered from the fatigue the vision had wrought upon her, "Lilah is right… any vision that is shared by not two but three seers, it has credence. It deserves our concern and our personal attention, even if we cannot bring these omens to the senate."

"I've never been one for fortune telling," a deep, rasped voice spoke in perfect basic. Lilah turned her eyes away from Pui to focus on the golden skinned Kel Dor that sat to the right of Luc's chair; Tolar was seated to Luc's left followed by the other members of the council. The Kel Dor master was Dorian Quei, a strong warrior who relied only on himself and the force. Dorian was the third oldest member of the council, already one hundred years old. His personal attunement to the combative force was unrivaled, but he didn't offer much thought to things beyond the material realm. Dorian even explained the force as a natural occurrence, bound to science, and he held to those beliefs. The thought of visions and the supernatural were always absurd, completely useless, and as such they brought no concerns to him.

Dorian's manner of appearance perfectly mirrored his lifestyle and attitude. The golden skin was clothed in earthy brown hues: sandstone robes covering a dark brown tunic with black pants. His sandstone robes had a deep copper hem, with plasteel pauldrons attached to the shoulder of his outer robes, and his boots were made of brown fused leather with thick pieces of copper covering. Lilah always hated sparring sessions with the Kel Dor… his appearance was that of a warrior, and his skill was far more daunting than his appearance. Dorian also considered himself to be prepared for action: a utility belt, always equipped with various gadgets, adorned his waist; and metal gauntlets, made of copper as well, covered his hands making his claws more prominent and daunting. Everything about Dorian was bright and vivacious… very much the shining warrior as Luc was, but what Dorian lacked was Luc's acceptance of things outside of the natural laws… and he scared the force out of people.

"Dorian does have a point, Lilah," a woman to Tolar's left spoke. She dressed in dark grays and black, hemmed in white and silver patterns. Anilila Trua, blade master of the Jedi. She trained all of the younglings in lightsaber combat, taught advanced forms to the padawans… and rarely left the temple. She and Lilah rarely got along, both rivals during basic training and even more so after they had been accepted by masters. And try as she might, Anilila would never let Lilah forget the fact that she was second best. It didn't matter what the argument or occasion… they were always on opposite sides. "While the visions are normally accurate, this one is vague," Anilila continued, "Even Master Tolar, the senior among you, has said to wait. Trying to prevent this from happening could only make future events worse."

"And doing nothing is ludicrous!" Lilah exclaimed to the others, "If I was the only one who had seen it I may agree with you, but not when both Pui and Master Tolar have seen the same thing!"

"You are overly confrontational," the gruff voice of Master Yorrvaca, said softly. Being the only Wookiee Jedi, he and Tolar spent most of their time together, and had more missions under their belts than any other members of the council… or the Jedi for that fact; well save for Dorian that was… but Dorian was a loner. Being the two oldest members of the Jedi order, their opinions were the most highly respected. Yorrvaca wore simple basic Jedi robes, tan and brown, and had nothing to display his status of Council member. The Black haired Wookiee, though some of it was beginning to turn grey now that he had neared one hundred and fifty, stood over seven feet tall, and even while sitting he was taller than the others that surrounded him… which is why he sat on the far right side, to Anilila's left. "Ever since you were young, you and Anilila have argued… now is definitely the time to put your rivalry aside. It is clear that we are entering grave times… but that doesn't mean we ignore the Jedi Code or the core principles we follow. We must be patient and consider all courses of action."

"We cannot ignore this," Pui insisted, trying to help Lilah, "I have never seen the force steeped in darkness. I've seen the darkness that comes from conflict, uprising, war, and disasters… but never an actual darkness of the force. I thought that it was supposed to be an essence of good."

Master Tolar had been quiet up until this point, "There is a dark side of the force, as we all know. Whatever was the vision not only personified it… the vision was the dark." The little Jedi Master had a deeply frustrated look on his face and his brow was furrowed in concentration, "We are caught in a very difficult situation. We cannot afford to ignore this, nor can we afford to haste our action."

"Then what is going to happen?" Lilah asked in desperation.

"The Republic goes to war," it was at this phrase that Luc entered the council chambers and took his chair in the center. He looked tired… and old. Lilah couldn't believe how worn out he was. Just mere hours ago he had been his usual confident self, brash and self-reliant… and not he looked as if he could barely muster the strength to stay conscious.

"What!?" Dorian exclaimed, "Since when?"

"Since Elom declared war," Luc responded.

Yorrvaca let out a muffled grunt of disproval, "This makes no sense… they just joined the Republic. Why would they declare war?"

"Because they have recently been invaded by some unknown planetary system, which is now calling the shots. The entire Senate is in--"

"Chaos," Pui finished for Luc, "The Chancellor's already weakened office has shattered. Now the other systems are contemplating running for it… but it won't do any good." The Mon Calamari's eyes were distance, vacant as she looked at the ceiling. Lilah could tell immediately that she was seeing something, and she took her vision to the force.

Anilila spoke up, trying with some effort to break the silence that issued as the seers went quiet, "Then surely we must do something! As keepers of the peace it is our duty to the galaxy to insure that war does not happen."

"This war is intricately connected to the darkness we envisioned," Lilah said quietly.  
"I agree…" Tolar mused, his eyes closed.  
"A dark entity guides these events…" Pui's proclamation rendered the entire council silent… no one daring to be the first one to offer a course of action.

It was Luc who finally made a sound… a long, tired sigh of defeat, "There is nothing we can do that does not have consequences or complications. If we do nothing… then this war will be upon our consciences. If we act then we risk becoming too connected to the Republic and it's problems. The Jedi work for the galaxy, not for a government… but if we try to do things without alerting the Senate then we may stumble into their own operations."

"Then what do we do?" Dorian asked.

"The only sensible thing," Dorian replied, "We send a team of Jedi to investigate the space at Elom."

Tolar's eyes looked sideways at the Kel Dor. The Jedi master had not thought it this easy to move events to their proper course, but if the battle hardened and scientifically minded Jedi master were to support this course of action… the little green Jedi would have no problem getting the other Master's to agree. "I have seen that what our vision hold… it lays beyond Elom. A team of scouts should be sent I believe."

"I do not think this wise, Master Tolar," Pui spoke, "We do not know this darkness and I have felt its grip… to send scouts would not only endanger Jedi needlessly…"

"Which is precisely why we send a skilled team," Dorian interrupted. "I will go with another Jedi… I believe that Pal Ureic has just been knighted. I've seen him grow as a padawan, and master Anilila has praised his lightsaber skills."

"He is quite gifted… more so than any other student I have trained," Anilila's smile at this proclaimation made Lilah sick.

Luc seemed to be deep in thought and several minutes passed before he spoke, "I will notify that senate that we are sending an elite team to scout the area. While I do not feel comfortable with sending dear friends into the unknown; I would swallow this decision better if I knew the Jedi going were capable at defending themselves."

"I agree also," Tolar spoke solemnly.

Lilah was hesitant. She didn't want to sit around and do nothing, waiting for this dark omen to reveal itself; however, she didn't know if sending the Jedi to go looking for it was the proper course either. Tolar was in agreement though, and Luc said that it was something he would be willing to support—besides, it was Master Dorian. Lilah had known him since her time at a padawan… there weren't many things in this galaxy that gave him pause, and if anyone were to be safe on this mission: the Kel Dor Jedi would be. "I agree with the motion," she spoke confidently.

"As do I," Anilila Trua voiced her own opinion, looking at Lilah with bored indifference, "What? We had to agree at one point or another."

Dorian snorted at two of the younger council members, "I believe my opinion has already been stated."

"It is a sound and careful path to take," the Wookiee Jedi Master growled, "It will keep the Republic from rushing to immediate action, and it will allow us to better assess this ominous vision. It is possible that the events are not related."

Pui slumped dejectedly into her seat, and Lilah could tell that something was weighing heavily on the frail Mon Calamari Jedi. Pui was the youngest of the council members, barely having turned 34 in Galactic Standard Years, and it was difficult for her to muster her own voice against these older beings. Pui had often told Lilah that she envied the other's ability to speak her mind. With a heavy sigh, the Mon Cal turned her large black eyes to the Senior council member and nodded, "While I may not approve of this course to action… it is the lesser of several evils we seem to be faced with. Complacency and doing nothing would be just as dangerous to the Jedi as urging war… we need information."

"And time…" Tolar muttered audibly to the rest of the Council, "Perhaps it will give us the clearer picture for these events."

*****

Virtra sat behind her desk, the high back of the chair looming behind her hunched form. The Sith Lord had been increasingly irritable, ever more angry and violent. Those around her couldn't exactly understand why… and she offered them no understanding, but she knew the reason. She was mad. Mad at being played and forced to make a rash and unwise decision. She was fearful about the choices ahead and how she would have to tread through them. The future was uncertain, and she could only depend on herself to navigate it correctl;, but if she couldn't trust herself not to kill those who cared about her… then how could she make it through?

Care was a weakness… love was a weakness. Fear, pain, sorrow, and mourning were all weaknesses. If she allowed them, they would consume her without mercy or pity, and she would be lost into the despair that the dark magics loved. No! She was stronger than that. Darth Virtra had been born from the sweat and toil of her own labor, and she would be damned if she let some senile old hag haunt her like this.

Life was a weakness; attachments were nothing but hindrances hidden behind good intentions. No more and never again would she be bothered with this self loathing. So what if she had killed Yolani!? The woman didn't know her place! Yolani had insulted and defied Virtra. The maid had defecated on their friendship and treated the Sith Lord like trash… like Virtra had been treated before. The words, the harsh bitter words had made her feel like she was back in that cell and no one would make her feel like that again!

"Excuse me, mistress Virtra," a female voice came from outside the study. Virtra knew that voice. It was Selera, the girl she had appointed as envoy to the so called Galactic Republic… some grouping or alliance of planets in the galaxy. Apparently the Elomin had just joined this group, and they were rapidly growing to encompass the whole galaxy. Destroying them would make a good headway on her campaign.

"Come in…" the Sith lord ordered.

Selera entered the study, stopping before the desk to take a bow, "I have delivered the message of Elom's secession. According to their ways, an attack on any planet within their jurisdiction is considered an 'act of war' and will be dealt with accordingly. I hope you are pleased that I made the declaration of war for us, rather than giving them that honor?"

"I am," Virtra nodded, "Things are unfolding nicely. Thank you, Selera, you may go now."

The girl bowed and then was gone from the study without any further verbal exchange. "Admirable," Virtra thought, "She is gifted in more ways than one…" This train of thought lead the Sith to begin thinking about plans for her own Brotherhood. If she could find more loyal subjects, as talented as Selera, who also possessed the gifts, then she could assemble a band of powerful generals, lesser pawns who could go places and do her bidding when she was not needed. It would be the first step towards her goal. She could teach that girl to be formidable… to strike fear into the hearts of their enemies.

She would need several followers though before her plans could be completed… more lords who could carry the title of Darth. She would make armies around them and march her forces through the galaxy, spreading fear, death, and chaos! She would destroy everything in her path… nothing inferior would stand! And when she was finished she would bathe in the galaxy's blood and wash away the stench of this defiling regret! Nothing! Not a person or an emotion could make her feel like this… she would destroy it and make her infallibility known to all… and then they would die!!

*****


End file.
